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Constitution Party candidates share goals, ideals

Katherine Burgess, The Jackson Sun 9:55 p.m. CDT August 23, 2014

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Shaun Crowell, candidate for Tennessee governor, flips through a copy of the Constitution while his father, Ron Crowell, looks on a Tennessee Constitution Party event Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel.(Photo: KATHERINE BURGESS/The Jackson Sun)Buy Photo

Five members of the Tennessee Constitution Party are seeking to return the country to its founding principles by running for elected office.

Four met Saturday with other party members in the DoubleTree Hotel to discuss their ideals.

Shaun Crowell, a candidate for Tennessee governor, was the keynote speaker.

"We have to have government officials who are true leaders, who care about people," Crowell said. "That's where I'm at."

Crowell called the Constitution Party "the only conservative party left in the state of Tennessee."

A former Republican, he became disillusioned in 2008 when Republicans voted for bailouts of foundering banks.

"What I want to do is change the conversation and allow people to understand that we don't need a two-party system that tells us one thing on TV or in the papers, but then on the flip side when they go to vote on issues, they vote unconstitutionally," Crowell said. "... There's this two-party system that has a fix on our country, but yet they're not really producing viable solutions to the problem."

Joe Wilmoth, a candidate for U.S. Senate, was not able to attend Saturday due to his wife's death on Wednesday. Randy Barlow, Wilmoth's campaign manager, represented him.

"Joe is running because he's concerned that the United States of America does not offer the same opportunities for the young people today," Barlow said. "The economy's not as vibrant, the jobs aren't here, there's a great more regulation."

Wilmoth would seek to diminish or cut entities such as the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Education, Barlow said.

Tim York, a candidate for Tennessee Senate, said he also would seek to cut spending.

"I will first look to the Constitution of the state of Tennessee and the Constitution of the federal government," York said. "If something comes up and it's unconstitutional, I will definitely vote against it."

York is running against Democrat Randy Lamb, Republican Ed Jackson and independent James Baxter.

Mike Warner, a candidate for Tennessee House, said he would constantly look to the Constitution to determine his course of action.

"We're going to do the right thing," Warner said. "We're going to do what's in accordance with the law. The supreme law of the land is the Constitution, and what does not fit that framework is not a law."

Warner is running against incumbent Democrat Joe Pitts.

Members also discussed the pros and cons of proposed amendments to the Tennessee Constitution.

The first would give the legislature the ability to "enact, amend or repeal statutes regarding abortion."

The second would allow the governor to appoint judges, while the third would prohibit any payroll or personal income tax. The fourth would allow lotteries to benefit nonprofit and veterans' organizations.

Follow Katherine Burgess on Twitter @kathsburgess

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Mark Rawles, candidate for U.S. House, and Tim York, candidiate for Tennessee Senate, listen at a Tennessee Constitution Party event Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel.(Photo: KATHERINE BURGESS/The Jackson Sun)

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Party members picked up campaign signs at a Tennessee Constitution Party event Saturday at the DoubleTree Hotel.(Photo: KATHERINE BURGESS/The Jackson Sun)